Love In A Hopeless Place
by buckwolvhoosier
Summary: Eragon and Belle were best friends growing up. When Belle was 12, she was forced to move away. Years later, Belle and Eragon find each other in Dras Leona.


**Love In A Hopeless Place: An Eragon One Shot**

Belle brushed away the strands of light brown hair that managed to slip out of her messy up-do and into her eyes. She stifled a yawn and went back to work, her left foot throbbing from the two calluses that had formed on her heel. Her back hurt as well, but she ignored the pain and helped the customer before her. Belled worked for Duke Ashby. He was a relatively level headed man since he had allowed her to work off her father's debt. The Duke owned acres of land outside of Dras Leona, most of the land farmland. In the city, she ran the stands where his food was sold. Her job was not hard, but the hours were long and not very flexible.

Belle thanked the customer and placed the money in a pouch and then began to close up the shop. An hour later, she was finished and made her way to the Duke's mansion, the second largest house in the city. She handed the purse to the servant who opened the door and left for the tavern, her stress alleviating a little. The room was lit by a small fireplace in the far corner, the smell of smoke and beer clinging to the air, a smell she was accustomed to. With a smile, Belle sat down at the counter. "Hello Jake."

The bartender turned around and without asking, handed her a mug of beer. "Hello Belle. Looks like you had a rough day."

Belle nodded and sipped the beer. "I did. Anyways, let's not talk about work. I am here to relax."

Jake nodded and tended to another customer. Belle listened to the minstrels dance and sing as she finished off her mug, Jake handing her another one. Many of the men in the room she recognized. There was Derek the blacksmith, Haradin the butcher, and Mitch the tanner. Then, there were several farmers and the King's soldiers. The men she did not recognize were typically travelers who only stayed the night and left early in the morning. She scanned the groups of men, smiling when she saw Mitch laugh heartily. He was a good man and she was proud to have met him. He had taken her in when she became destitute after her father had died. Mitch noticed her eyes upon him and acknowledged her with a nod of his head.

Continuing her scan, she glimpsed a young man with blonde hair sitting in a booth with an older man. They were near the fireplace and a few men were blocking her view, so she did not get a good look. Still, she kept her eyes locked on them. A weird feeling festered deep within her—a feeling she had not felt in years. She had half a mind to walk up to them as ask who they were, but her feet would not move. Before she could gather her courage, she heard a familiar voice call out her name.

"Hey Lucy." Belle hugged the girl. "How are you?" Lucy was the closest female friend she had in Dras Leona, and even that was saying a lot. Lucy was a flirt and a blabber-mouth, but she was still a nice girl overall. She had helped Belle as well and the least she could do was be her friend.

"Oh you know, the usual. I had a pretty good day and I look forward to a boisterous evening among the guys." She winked. Belle rolled her eyes. Those who knew Belle knew that she was rigid when it came to relationships. Many men have tried to get with her, but she turned them down with lame excuses. Belle only wanted one thing- to return home. Lucy, on the other hand, was always with a guy, or so it would seem.

"Well, I had better not get in your way." Belle said, smiling. Lucy laughed.

"Actually, I need you."

Belle raised her eyebrows. "For what?"

"The minstrels are not very entertaining right now. I say we take over like we did that one night."

Belle stared at Lucy for a moment, and then laughed. "It will not be the same. I was drunk that night. I doubt it will have the same effect if we tried that now."

"Oh come on. I know you are not scared."

"If I were to join you, what song would we perform?"

Lucy thought for a moment. "I am not sure. You are the song writer, and singer, so you choose."

Lucy may be a blabber-mouth and a flirt, but she was an honest one. The girl was far from vain, a quality that Belle loved about her and allowed her to tolerate her more. Belle enjoyed writing songs in her spare time, a talent that she inherited from her mother who was a performer. Lucy constantly praised Belle's voice and even urged her to join a group of performers that visited the city.

Of course, Belle refused. She had to. She was still working off her father's debt and could not just run off. That would have gotten her into serious trouble. Belle was no goody-two-shoes, but she did not want to break her word, especially when she was fortunate to have struck a deal with the duke in the first place. She had to steal for a time to survive, but that was about it.

"I was hoping to save it for a later time, but I might as well present it tonight. I wrote a new song the other night and I have been meaning to perform it."

Lucy's eyes lit up. "Belle, that would be wonderful!" Her squealing made the men in the room look at them, including the two men in the back. The blonde man gazed at Lucy for a few seconds before shifting his eyes to look at Belle. His jaw dropped.

The old man chuckled. "She's pretty all right, but remember, we must not draw attention, so please try to refrain from talking with her."

"Br—Neal, it's not that. Don't you recognize her?"

Brom, using the name Neal as a cover, looked at Belle. He narrowed his eyes to focus better and then realized why Eragon was shocked. "Oh my…"

"What should we do? If she sees us…"

"If she sees us, she sees us. Simple as that. She seems distracted with her friend that she may not even notice us. Even if she does see us, she may not recognize us."

Eragon scoffed. "She was my best friend growing up, I highly doubt she has forgotten me. I just do not want her to blow our cover, though I _really_ want to talk to her." His face became sad. "I have always wondered what has become of her." Memories flooded his head as he recalled his childhood.

Belle was born and raised in Carvahall much like Eragon, but she was two years older than him. When she was twelve, her family moved away to the city. Her father worked for the King and many men were glad to be rid of him, however, they did miss his daughter. At a young age, Eragon had befriended her and the two caused a lot of mayhem, one of two reasons why her father hated him. The second reason was that he was a farm boy and she was of noble blood. He had allowed her to play with the children of Carvahall since they were the only nobles living in the farming community and she needed somebody to play with, but as she grew up and began to hang out with Eragon, he tried to limit her time with him.

He remembered the last time he had seen her. She had snuck out of her house to see him. She had climbed out her window and her foot slipped making her fall to the ground. Her bedroom window was not very far off the ground, but she still hurt her arm. The noise had alerted her father. He rushed out of the house as they slipped away into an alley, giggling. Eragon was ten years old and was just beginning to view Belle differently. He had always called her his best friend, but deep down he began to feel different about her.

Eragon closed his eyes. In his mind, he was young again, Belle standing next to him in the alley. They were panting from running and as he tried to catch his breath, he felt Belle's eyes upon him. He looked back at her and smiled, sheepishly. Her gaze was not like any look she had given him before.

"It's wonderful to see you again." She said.

"We see each other often enough."

"Yes, but not like this."

If Eragon had been a few years older, he would have understood what she meant right away, but alas, he was still quite young and ignorant in the ways of romance. He saw himself become confused as she slowly approached him and with one swift motion, kissed him on his lips. He stood dazed by her actions for several seconds before he succumbed to her touch and kissed back.

"There you are!" Belle's father had caught them in the act, his fury rising. He grabbed his daughter and began to drag her away as he cursed at Eragon. With balled up fists, Eragon wanted to punch the man, but lacked the courage. He felt ashamed that he failed to protect her from her father and made a vow that in the future he would not fail her again. He looked at Belle and watched her get dragged away, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Do not forget me," she cried. Then, they disappeared around a building and he never saw her again.

Belle's voice shattered his reverie and captured his full attention. He remembered she loved to sing, like her mother did, but this was much different. Her voice had matured, the notes resounding around the room in a gorgeous melody. The minstrels stood behind her, angry that she had stolen their spotlight, but also captivated by her voice.

"We found love in a hopeless place. We found love in a hopeless place. We found love in a hopeless place. We found love in a hopeless place." Belle let the words roll off her tongue with ease. The tavern became silent when she started to sing, the attention fueling her. The stage was a comfort zone to her, and at the moment, she was in her own little world. As much as she loved being on stage, she still felt a piece of her missing.

When she sang the last lines of the song, she walked off the stage. The crowd cheered, some men begging her to sing another song, but she suddenly felt tired. Lucy nearly tackled her before she took the stage. Though she was not as good as Belle, she still had a pleasant voice. As Lucy sang, Belle felt her attention being drawn to the back table once more. With a majority of the men crowding around the stage, she was finally able to see who the two men clearly.

Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed upon the blonde man's face. He must have felt her eyes upon him for he glanced at her, their eyes locking for a split second. That was all it took for her to recognize him. This time her feet cooperated as she walked towards them. "Era—"

"Shh! Call me Even. This is Neal." Eragon gestured at Brom.

Belle raised her eyebrows. "All right, but you will have to explain why you two are using fake names later."

Eragon nervously glanced at Brom. The old man seemed amused by Belle's appearance and said nothing. "Possibly." Eragon said.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask the same about you."

"I asked first."

Eragon ran his fingers through his hair. "It's complicated."

Belle realized that if she was going to get information from him, they would have to be talking in private. "Did you already rent a room for the night?" Eragon nodded. "Good. Let us talk there."

Left with no other option, Eragon stood up and began walking away with Belle. When they were a few feet from the table, he stopped. "Neal, aren't you coming?"

Brom nearly chuckled. "No. I am going to stay here for a while longer. Why don't you two run along and catch up."

"But-" Brom held up his hand.

"Are you coming?" Belle asked, stopping herself from grabbing his hand.

"Yeah," Eragon said as he spun around and began to lead her to the room. Lucy's eyes were big, her jaw dropped, as she watched Belle disappear with the young man. The men who knew Belle had similar expressions upon their face. Lost in thought, Belle did not even notice the other people in the tavern.

Belle sat upon the bed and waited until the door was closed and locked before she began to question him. "Now will you tell me what you are doing here?"

Eragon leaned upon the door with his arms crossed. "I fear I cannot tell you much, but I will try to explain what has happened to me over the years."

"All right." She smoothed out her dress and gestured for him to begin.

Eragon took a moment to collect his thoughts before he began. "Has it really been eight years?"

Belle nodded. "It has. I never thought that I would see you again."

"Same here. When my Uncle told me that you were gone, I refused to believe him."

"Uncle?" Belle was already confused. Growing up he had never mentioned having an uncle.

"Oh, that's right. You were already gone when I found out. Marian and Garrow are not my parents; they are my aunt and uncle. Well, they were my aunt and uncle." Eragon swallowed past the lump in his throat, his eyes glistening.

Instinctively, Belle got up and traversed the space between them to place a warm hand upon his shoulder. "Eragon, I am so sorry to hear that."

Unable to speak, Eragon just shrugged. Still very sympathetic, Belle embraced him. Eragon stood stunned for a few seconds before he wrapped his arms around her. Having her close comforted him, a feeling that took him by surprise. He had forgotten what is was like to be with a woman and now the feeling was hitting him with full force.

"If Marian and Garrow were not your parents, who are they?" Belle asked when they parted.

"Garrow's sister, Selena, was my mother, but I have no idea who my father is, or was."

The news made Belle dizzy. "This is crazy."

"I know." Eragon sighed. Belle was never fond of her father, but at least she knew who he was. Eragon had no idea who his father was and she felt sorry for him. Society would frown upon him because he did not know; they would think his mother a whore and he an illegitimate child. Belle did not care who his parents were; Eragon was a good man and that is all that mattered.

"What about you? What became of you after you left?"

Belle really wanted him to explain more, but after what he had disclosed, she allowed him to change the topic.

"We moved to Uru'baen and lived there for three years. Not much really happened. My father had me mingle with other nobles hoping one would catch my eye, but to no avail. Before he could arrange a marriage for me, the King sent him to Dras Leona. I have lived here ever since."

A knock at the door interrupted them. Peeking out, Eragon saw a young girl with blonde locks in her hair. "May I help you?" Eragon asked, puzzled.

Belle rolled her eyes. "Lucy, what are you doing here?"

"I'm really sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to make sure that you were all right. You were acting very strange earlier and…"

"Lucy, I am fine."

"Good, but who…" Lucy leaned in and whispered, "who is he?"

Eragon did his best to let the women talk in private, but ever since he became a Rider, his senses were becoming sharper. With more enhanced hearing, he could easily hear what they were whispering about. He felt bad, but he could not tell Belle that he was a Rider. The fact that he was an orphan shocked her enough. For his safety and for hers, he had to keep his mouth shut.

Staring out the window, he heard Belle say, "My childhood best friend."

Lucy gasped and voiced her exclamations. The elevated tone was bad enough, but when she mentioned his real name, he had to stop himself from unsheathing his sword.

"Lucy. Keep your voice down and never say that name again." Lucy looked at the floor like a chastised child.

"Sorry."

"Get in here." Still staring at the floor, Lucy entered the room. Eragon still stood alert. He began to relax when he heard no soldier's or alarms.

"Who is she?" Eragon asked.

"This is my friend Lucy. Lucy, this is Evan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." She said with a low voice.

"Likewise." Eragon said, out of courtesy. He felt like a jerk, but he wanted Lucy to go away so that he could converse with Belle.

Without taking her eyes off of Eragon, Lucy whispered, "He's cute. How come you never told me how cute he was?"

This time Belle stiffened. Her cheeks felt warm and she wished that Lucy would shut up. She glanced at Eragon and saw his blank stare. Her cheeks burned even more once she realized that she had heard Lucy. To her horror, Lucy kept talking. "Seriously Belle, no wonder you talked about him a lot."

"Whoa! How much do you know about me?" Eragon ignored the glare he received from Belle to focus on Lucy. His annoyance vanished when he discovered that she could provide him with information about Belle. Judging from the look he got from Belle, he knew she had caught on to his scheme. A wry smile crossed his lips.

"Nearly everything! I know when and where you first met, all the trouble you caused, and the last time you were together." She nudged Belle.

"Is that so…" He looked at Belle. Her mortified reaction made him laugh.

Lucy giggled and then said, "Yeah. Especially ever since her father…"She was cut off when Belle covered her mouth and began to drag her out of the room. The scene greatly amused Eragon. Belle managed to open the door and push Lucy out, the girl going with the flow.

"I will go now, but tell me everything when you are done." Belle said nothing back, shutting the door in the girls face. Laughing, Lucy strolled down the hall.

Inside the room, Eragon was trying to stifle his laughter. "It's not funny!" Belle growled. For some reason that made him laugh even harder. "Oh come on. Not too long ago you were annoyed with her. Remember, she almost blew your cover."

"Almost. She did manage to expose you though, something that would never have happened if she were absent."

Belle became hurt. Very hurt. Her emotions boiled over into tears and she could not hold them back. Her weeping made Eragon stop laughing. He had no intention to make her feel bad; he only wanted to know what became of her after she left and how she felt about him after so many years. Now he really felt like a jerk.

Belle had no idea how much she loved him until that evening. She wept because she was embarrassed of her feelings. She also wept because she was happy—a happiness that only love could instill within her. Then, she wept because of fear. Fear that he did not love her the way she loved him. The three emotions were like a tornado in her gut as they whirled around inside of her.

"Belle, it's all right." Eragon was standing in front of her. When she did not look at him, he took her hands in his. "Belle."

She took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet his. They were gentle and full of concern, but that was it. They were they eyes of a friend and nothing more. Belle retreated from his touch and made her way to the bed. She sat down and stared at the floor. After several minutes of awkward silence she said, "You still never told me why you are going by the name of Evan."

Eragon sat down next to her. "I cannot tell you that."

"Why not?" Belle asked with a bitter tone.

"Belle…" His eyes pleaded with her.

"Jeez, you make it sound like you are some fugitive or something." She only said that to hide what she really wanted to ask him. She wanted to know if he was with someone else; some other girl that has stolen his heart. What she did not realize until after the words slipped out was the fact that she was correct; Eragon was a fugitive. "Eragon, what did you do?" She asked, trying to wrap her head around her revelation.

"I did nothing."

Belle wanted to protest, but she knew he was telling the truth. "How can that be?"

"I told you it was complex."

"Yes, but why can't I know. I know we have not been together in eight years, but you can still trust me. Also, where does Brom fit into all of this?" She had almost forgotten he was with him.

Eragon hated leaving her in the dark, but he knew it was for her own good. "Belle, I know I can trust you. I do not want you to know because I want to protect you. My very life is in danger and I do not want to drag you into my situation."

His words touched her, but she still wanted to know. After several failed attempts, she gave up. "You are too stubborn, Eragon."

"I know." He cracked a smile.

"How long are you going to be in Dras Leona?"

Eragon's smile vanished. "We leave the day after tomorrow."

"Oh."

Eragon shared in her sadness. He let his mind wander as they sat quietly next to each other. Every once in a while he would glance over at her, his urge to kiss her growing stronger and stronger. One thing he wanted her to know is that he did love her and that he would come back for her. He knew that their meeting was not a coincidence; they were meant to be together, but he was afraid of becoming romantically involved with her. If anyone knew that he was in love with her, she could be used as bait and he did not want that, for both their sakes. If anyone tortured her to get to him, he would lose control, a vicious side of him that he did not like to show very often. Since Garrow's death, he had a thirst for revenge.

At long last Belle said, "I guess I should be going. It is late and we should get some sleep."

As much as he wanted to admit it, she was right. Eragon walked her over to the door and opened it. "It was really nice seeing you again."

"It was nice seeing you too. Do you think we will meet again?"

"I hope so."

"Me too. Goodnight, Eragon." Belle took off before he had a chance to respond. She had to leave while her legs let her; else she may be standing in that doorway for a long time.

The next day began normally for Belle. The events of the night before felt like a dream to her. The only one who assured her that the evening was real was Lucy. The girl bugged her all morning as she set up shop and sold product to customers; customers who would get what they came for and leave before they became annoyed further by Lucy.

Belle hardly heard a word Lucy said as her mind constantly drifted to Eragon. Several times she was pinched to get her out of her daydreams. "Honestly Belle, you need to have more control over yourself," an older woman said as she purchased some prunes. "Whoever this man is, he is not worth it." Old Betty was harsh with men. Her late husband left her for another woman and her two sons gambled away over half her money. Her prized possession was her daughter, who she taught to be very wary of men. The woman frightened Belle a little, only because she had a point. Some men were worthless pigs, but not all of them. Good men were hard to find, but they existed and she knew in her heart that Eragon was a good man. He was worth daydreaming over.

Old Betty pinched Belle again. "My dear, I fear you have been hanging out with Lucy for too long. You used to be wary of men, and now you are pining after some man. Who is he and…" As if on cue, Eragon ran across the market, several soldiers, and Ra'zac, chasing after him. It was the Ra'zac that made her worried. Eragon was right, whatever he had gotten himself into was dangerous. Everyone knew that the Ra'zac were not to be trifled with, yet somehow Eragon somehow angered them.

Lucy looked at Belle, her jaw agape once more. "Evan is a fugitive?"

Belle nodded. "He needs my help. He does not know Dras Leona like I do; I can get him out safely."

Lucy paled. "Belle, that is too dangerous. You will be caught and tried for treason; they—they will execute you."

"If we are caught."

"Belle, no man is worth your life." Old Betty growled. "Do not be foolish. A fugitive like him is no good. What respectable man would provoke the Ra'zac? Hmm?"

Belle felt her anger rise. Old Betty continued to downgrade Eragon making her all the more furious. "What did he do to receive your loyalty? You didn't sleep with him, did you?"

As usual, Lucy had to open her mouth too. "Belle, I know you were alone with him last night. Did you two, you know, do it?"

"No!" Belle could not contain herself anymore. "No, I did not sleep with him, at least, not yet." Old Betty's face was contorted in disgust and Lucy blushed. She was a flirt, but she still was a virgin, despite what people thought. "I love him more than you could ever imagine. He was my best friend growing up and he was the first man I have ever kissed. I want him to be the last man I ever kiss as well. I have told both of you that all I ever wanted was to go home, well, with him I am home. After all, home is where the heart is, and my whole heart is with him. I have to try and help him, no matter the cost. I love him."

Lucy was tearing up, but Betty just scowled and walked away mumbling to herself. "What about Duke Ashby? You work for him, you know."

"He will manage. Lucy," she hesitated. Lucy was the only girl she could really talk to in Dras Leona, and she always found her to be annoying. Even so, saying goodbye was difficult and she knew she was going to miss her company. "Thank you for everything. I will miss you." Belle hugged Lucy tight.

"You better make it out safe. I would hate to see you…"

"I know." Belle ran at full speed across the market pushing people out of her way. She stopped at the edge of the market where the bulletin board was stationed and climbed up to get a better view. Near the lower town she spotted Eragon. As she stepped down from the board, a piece of paper caught her eye. Though the drawing was crude, she could still tell that it was Eragon. In her haste, she did not read why he was wanted; she grabbed the paper and ripped it into pieces as she walked away. Running was redundant now that she knew were Eragon was heading. She slipped down a side street and made her way through the city. The houses became small and smelly, mirroring the people who lived there.

Belle turned a corner and froze. Twenty feet in front of her were the soldiers and Ra'zac. She frantically looked for Eragon. Her heart was pounding but with a few deep breaths, she suppressed some of her fear. A minute passed with no sign of Eragon. She poked her head out again and watched the men in front of her. From their actions she gathered that Eragon was in the house before them and they were waiting for him to exit. What scared her is the fact that they were waiting outside the door instead of busting it down. To her dismay, her question was answered when a soldier ran past her hiding spot with a torch.

The soldier gave the torch to one of the Ra'zac who immediately threw it on the thatched roof. The roof caught fire right away and quickly spread through the rest of the house. Still, Eragon did not make an appearance. Belle tried not to panic, but she was not doing a very good job. Before she could go mad, she spotted a figure sneaking away from the fire, the soldiers completely oblivious to his escape.

Belle knew how to intercept him and left the scene of the burning house. In another dark alley, she waited for Eragon to walk past. When he did, she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the darkness.

The sudden tug on his arm alarmed Eragon. By instinct, he grabbed his dagger and twisted the hand that grabbed him. A familiar voice cried out in agony as the blade began to slide across Belle's throat. Eragon stopped himself before he cut through her jugular vein and dropped the knife. Belle was panting and holding her neck to stop the bleeding. Angry with himself, Eragon cursed and brought Belle closer to him.

"I almost killed you, Belle." As he spoke, he took off his gloves and placed his right palm over the cut. A garish light filled the alley after he chanted in the Ancient Language. Belle stood stock-still. Eragon put his gloves back on and picked up his dagger before returning his attention to Belle.

The alley was dark, but she could still feel his eyes upon her. "Everything makes sense now. You're a…you're a…"

"A Dragon Rider." Eragon carefully walked towards her. Belle was stunned by the news, but she was not afraid. When he was about two inches from her, Belle pressed herself against him in an embrace. Eragon wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Unlike the other night, Belle could feel his love for her radiating off of him. Inside of his arms, she felt safe. She was home.

The sounds of footsteps caught their attention. Eragon was about to tell her to run, but she spoke first. "Come with me; I can get you out of the city." Before he could protest, she took his hand and began to run. She led him down several abandoned streets before halting at an intersection. "My house is across the way. Meet me there, but do not get caught. If anyone should see you enter my place, we are both done for."

Eragon nodded and watched Belle seamlessly walk into the busy street. Taking a deep breath, Eragon walked out of the alley and into the light. The people paid no attention to him, but the soldiers were scanning the crowd like vultures. When he had crossed the street, he carefully walked over to Belle's house.

"Good, you made it." Eragon turned around to find Belle with a pack upon her back.

"I should have known. Belle, you cannot come with me. Stay here."

His words were like daggers. "Eragon, look around. I have nothing here." For the first time, Eragon observed her house. It was a small, but clean, one bedroom house with a few pieces of furniture.

"What happened, Belle?"

Dropping her pack, she began. "My father passed away four years ago and left me with nothing but bad debt. I lost everything. I lived out on the street for many months stealing to survive until Duke Ashby struck a deal with me. I have worked for him ever since to pay off my father's debt."

Eragon's emotions betrayed him as tears rolled down his cheeks. "We have both lost so much, but if you come with me, you will not be any better off. Stay here where you at least have a roof over your head, a job, and a friend. I will come back for you—I promise."

"Era—" His lips cut off her words. A warm and calming sensation coursed through her veins at the touch. It was a light kiss only intended to comfort her. When he parted, he was glad that his intentions were clear. Belle no longer insisted on going with him.

"All right, I will stay. Now go."

"Go where?" His question caught her off guard. After a few seconds she realized that she never showed him the tunnel.

"It took me a few months to discover the tunnel hidden in my room. I am not sure when or why it was made, but it leads out well beyond the eastern gate." Belle said. The floorboards that disguised the entrance was well blended with the rest of the floor, a good sign.

"Do you know if anyone else knows about the tunnel?" He had to make sure that she would not be caught helping him, else she would be on trial for treason.

"I do not know." Screams from outside the house made them jump. "Go. The soldiers are checking inside houses now."

Standing there at the tunnel with one of his hands wrapped around Belle's made Eragon want to change his mind—he wanted her to go with him. "Belle," he hesitated, unsure what to say.

"I know you will come back." She kissed him. "Now please go." Eragon jumped down into the tunnel with a heavy heart. Within seconds, he was in complete darkness. He placed his hand upon the wall of the tunnel and began to walk. He had barely walked a quarter mile before he knew he could not go on without Belle. He needed her. Turning around, he ran back to the entrance.

Belle grabbed her needle and thread and sat down in her rocking chair. Her thoughts strayed to Eragon as she sewed up a hole in her other dress. She did not have to act surprised when the soldier's barged into her home. The noise was startling causing her to prick her finger. "Ouch." She gasped, a small bead of blood on her finger tip.

"Well, well, well. Long time, no see." Belle paled as she heard the chilling voice. Slowly, she looked up to see Trent, a short-tempered, muscular man. He had dark hair and eyes that would have made him look handsome if he had a decent attitude. His ego was much too big and with his hulk, he was scary to behold. For the longest time, he had been obsessed over her. Only a month after her father died, he had asked for her hand in marriage. She shuddered at the memory.

"Trent, I had no idea you were back in Dras Leona."

"The king sent me back to hunt down that little farm boy who claims to be a Rider. Have you seen him?"

Unable to trust herself with words, she shook her head. "Really? He looks like this." He handed her a piece of paper with a much more accurate depiction of Eragon. "He is dangerous, or so I am told."

"You're dangerous." Trent chuckled.

"So, have you seen him?"

"No, I have not."

Trent took her by the shoulders and stared deep into her eyes. Belle hated looking into his black orbs, but in order to keep up her pretense, she had to. Looking away would prove she is hiding something. Nonetheless, Trent was excellent at reading people. Although she did not falter, he knew she was lying.

"Search the house!" The five soldiers behind him wordlessly did as they were told. After several tense minutes, the soldiers returned with bad news. "Where is he?" The venom in his voice made Belle's heart quicken. Without meaning to, her eyes glanced over to her bedroom. Trent noticed, a sly smile crossing his lips.

"The Rider is not here. Go and search the eastern gate outside of the city."

"Captain why would…"

Trent shot a murderous glance at the soldier. "Do you dare defy my orders?"

The man trembled and shook his head.

"Good. Now do as I say before I have you whipped!" The men shuffled out of the house eager to get away from the captain.

Trent began to laugh. "My, my, my, you are a clever girl. You discovered the tunnel that leads out past the eastern gate."

Belle stared at the floor.

"You would have gotten away with this scheme too, if I were not around." He laughed again. "Oh Belle, you should never have helped that boy. Now, you are going to pay the price for treason." He pushed Belle against the wall. Pure fear gripped her as he advanced towards her with lust in his eyes.

"You are so beautiful." He lunged forward to kiss her. Belle scratched the side of his face before his lips could touch hers. Blood streaked his faced where her nails dug into his skin. With his eyes burning, he grabbed her by the wrist and twisted.

Belle screamed in pain as she heard her bone crack. "Do you honestly think you can escape me? No one is here to save you. He left you! That stupid farm boy is probably halfway through that tunnel, completely unaware that there is a patrol waiting for him when he exits."

Bitter tears streamed down her face at his words. He was right. Eragon was gone and she had been caught. She wished that she had gone with him. He would come back only to find her corpse, a corpse of a ruined girl. Trent would violently take the only thing she had left, a sick habit of his. She knew other women have been raped by him before.

"He left you and now you are all mine." With a broken wrist, she could no longer keep him off of her. He pressed his lips against hers and groped her right breast with his hand. He continued to kiss and grope her breasts for a while, his lips trying to gain more access into her mouth. When he finally wormed his way in, she bit his tongue. He howled in pain, but she kept pressing down. The more he struggled, the harder she pressed until her teeth had bit the tip of his tongue off.

Blood pooled from his mouth and down his chin. With the back of one of his hands, he wiped his mouth, his eyes never leaving Belle. "I tried being gentle with you, but it appears that I will have to be rough." Blood sprayed from his mouth as he tried to talk. Belle almost made it out of the room, but she felt a painful jerk on her arm. Before she knew it, she was thrown to the ground, her head hitting the side of a table.

An intense headache soon followed. Trent grabbed his dagger and knelt down next to her. He grabbed her by the hair and said, "You were foolish to fall in love with that boy. I know you grew up with him. I know he is the reason why you refused to go with other men. All you ever wanted was to be with him. Well, I am here to tell you that you can kiss all your hopes and dreams good bye. You had your chance with him, but what did he do? Let me guess, he asked you to stay behind, didn't he? He only used you as a feeble means to escape." He let go of her hair and climbed on top of her. He pushed her against the floor and used his dagger to begin cutting through her clothes. "Now, the pleasure will be all mine." Belle whimpered as he began to lift up her dress.

The sound of a sword being unsheathed stopped Trent from defiling her any further. "No, I believe the pleasure will be mine." Eragon swung his sword at Trent. The captain ducked his head before he could be decapitated and rolled off Belle. He dodged a few more blows before Eragon's sword nicked him in the arm.

Trent stood up and unsheathed his sword. "You must be that pathetic farm boy." He lunged at Eragon who blocked the blow. The captain was excellent with a sword, but he was too slow due to his excessive muscles. Eragon used his delayed strikes to his advantage. He still received a few cuts from his opponent, but nothing serious.

When Eragon tired of toying with the captain, he allowed the man to strike at him. Eragon was hit in the shoulder and knocked to the ground. Trent began to laugh. "You are the worst Rider ever. You are clumsy with the sword."

"I never said that I was skilled with a blade." Eragon smirked.

"At least you can still die by the blade." Trent began to plunge his sword into Eragon's chest. Less than an inch away, Eragon stopped the man with a spell. The captain paled.

"Brisingr!" The man flew across the room, his back hitting the far wall. Belle watched in awe as Eragon traversed the room and knelt down next to Trent. "Now I will show you how it feels to be helpless." He had the man sit up and held him in place with another spell.

"What are you going to now? Kill me?"

"Not yet. I want you to witness your failure first." Eragon stood up and looked at Belle, his eyes softening. "Are you all right?"

"I am now. You came back?"

Taking her good hand in his he gently pulled her to him. "I told you that I would come back; I just never said when." He kissed her passionately. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too." Belle kissed him back.

"Are you going to kill me or not?" Trent spat.

Eragon grudgingly parted from Belle to kneel back down in front of the man. "Belle, how many times has he tried to get his way with you?"

"Three."

"You may have defeated me, but you cannot resist the King. Eventually, he will have you."

"Not if I can help it." Eragon plunged Zar'roc into the man's gut. When Eragon was certain that the man was dead, he released his spell.

Back in Eragon's arms, Belle felt all her fears melt away. Eragon and Belle locked lips once again, each kiss succumbing them deeper and deeper into their own little world. Saphira clawed her way into the house, Brom upon her saddle. Ignoring his presence, the lovers continued to kiss. Only when Brom cleared his throat did Eragon bother to look at the old man.

"I see how it is."

"What?" Eragon asked, jokingly.

"You blow our cover and have the soldier's, and Ra'zac, chase after us, get yourself separated from me, receive help from Belle, save Belle, and then ignore me as you make out with your girlfriend. Need I remind you that we are still being hunted by the soldiers?"

"Oh yeah, sorry."

"Sorry my ass. Sure you save her, but you leave me all by myself."

"Hey, you can fend for yourself."

"Get on Saphira." Eragon laughed heartily as he led Belle over to Saphira. The flight out of Dras Leona was tricky, but they managed to get out safely. Miles away, they made camp. Careful not to stray too far, Eragon led Belle out of the camp for some privacy.

Surrounded by trees and a breathtaking diamond sky, the moon a natural spotlight upon them, Eragon held Belle. Her head rested on his chest where she could feel his heart beat just for her. The sound nearly lulled her to sleep, but Eragon shifted making her look up at him. Their eyes locked and Belle could see all of his love for her. She could feel love and she could see love, but in that moment, she also wanted to taste love. In a silent mutual agreement, the couple leaned towards one another, meeting halfway with their lips.

The moment was perfect. Even in her dreams Belle could not have pictured a more beautiful moment. Their lips moved rhythmically for what seemed like an eternity. They didn't care. They were together and that is all that mattered to them. All sense of time and place evaporated when their lips touched.

The events of the past two days reeled through Belle's mind, a single memory overpowering all others. As Eragon proceeded to kiss her, Belle could not help but giggle. The sound caused Eragon to stop and look at her. Their foreheads were still together leaving only a small gap between them. Eragon did not have to say anything; his eyes expressed his curiosity.

"We really did find love in a hopeless place." She kissed him lightly.


End file.
